Is your business running the National?

A good business operation should flow like a flat race but in reality how many are more like a steeplechase, with obstacles and risk at every turn?

It may have passed you by, but it’s the Grand National tomorrow!

My grandad who lived with us, was a great fan of jump-racing in the days of the mighty Arkle. He loved watching the team that is a jockey and their horse, tackling those fences at speed, with no fear - willing to take the risk to win the race.  He loved it even more when he had a bet on the winner - and so did we, as it always meant a little supplement to our pocket money!

Obstacles in any race mean greater risk, a greater challenge, and more excitement for the spectators. But as business owners, running our own particular race, do we really need or want that sort of excitement in our business? You masochists apart!

A good business should flow like a flat race, but in reality, so many more are like a steeplechase with obstacles and risk at every turn.

At the start of our race it was all about the set-up, dealing with the tax man, getting an accountant in place, finding those first customers. The ground was good, the fences were low and we hurdled them with ease. It was FUN!

We gathered pace…

The business grew, the team grew, and with the arrival of people, the fences began to come thick and fast.  It was tough but we coped. In fact we were really successful, life was good.

And then we reached the Grand National - considered successful, though still small. But now we can’t even see the size of the next fence, or the next big ditch, because the one in front of us seems so overwhelming.

The biggest obstacles every day?  People problems - mistakes, grumblings, people not showing up, people leaving.

‘Why can’t they get it right!’

‘Late again?’

‘But I’ve told you already…’

‘What on earth did you say to Gill?’…

It’s so frustrating - we have a great horse (business) and we’ve made it to the big races on the back of our hard work and our willingness to take the big risks, to take on the big challenges. 

And now we’re just stuck in the mud, our day begins and ends with trying to deal with people; we react, we fire-fight, we never get to the root of the problem.

Imagine how good life would be if we did.  If we were tackling the cause and not just the symptoms.

Imagine our business flowing like a flat race with obstacles few and far between.

Imagine our people being our greatest assets rather than our biggest obstacle to success and time freedom.

There’s a saying I love,

‘If you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you’ve always got’

Ask yourself:

‘Am I ready and willing to change’?
‘Do I want to run in the Derby rather than slog round the National?
'Do I want to Remove my People Pain'?

And if you do…

Do one thing: Download The McFreedom Report and begin to discover how to Model McDonald’s to build your High Performing Team, and Remove your People Pain

For more information on how MPL can help you visit www.mariannepage.co.uk or contact me on hello@mariannepage.co.uk